Spring-hub for vehicles.



PATENTBD FEB. 6, 1906. W. M. LEPPORT. SPRING HUB FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIUATION FILED BBPT.20, 1905.

WHA/55555. if

MW) W CLYHVEXA iii() YJ( 35 f Ingthe accompanying sheet-of drawings,

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UNriED; sangles PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M'. LEFFORT, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EMMETT AINLEY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

SPRING-HUB Fon VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. e, 190e.

Application filed September 20, 1905. Serial No. 279.218.

To all whom-it may concern:

' Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. LEFFORT,

- a citizen of the United States of America, and

. .n whichthe following is aspeciication.

' My invention relates to improvements invehicle-,wheela but more especially to the hub portions-thereof, the latter, or rather the axle-box or skein, being resilient 'and yieldingly mounted in the wheel and capable of vertical movement independently of the spoke and rim portions.

I am well awarev that vehicle-wheels have been provided with spring-hubsprior to my present improvement. This invention rev sides, essentially, in an improved construc-l tion and arrangement of the parts.constitua claimed.

ing the hub, lall as hereinafter4 setl'forth and By means of/the invention;'herewith tlhel cost of production is reduced, thelluhp'ortion of the wheel is rendered comparatively strongand stiff, it is not liable to become accidentally inoperative, it presents an attractive appearance, it is practically dust-proof, it readily adapts itself to inequalities or unevenness of the roads, and its movements .are

` attended with a lessened degree offriction. In

' short, the improved wheel 1f provided with a cushioned or solid rubber tire may be success- 'fully substituted" for` the usual type of wheel having pneumatic tires.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of .a vvehiclewheel hub embodying my improvement, the rim, spoke, and axle ortions being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a corres on central section, t e latter being taken on line g side view, in partial :I: :n of Fig. lTand showing an axle mounted in y. the axle-skein; and Fig. 3 is `an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through the peripheral portion ofthe hub and its contiguous parts or on line o 'o of Fig. 2.

A in the drawings designates my improved vehicle-wheel hub as a whole.

The device is provided with a stationary circular frame b, having transversely and laterally separated ties or braces c, rigidly secured together and to the frame. These ties also form a combined bearing and guide for l 119ML'.

the axle-skein a, thev latter having end eXtensions or tongues a', Fig. 1, mounted to move in a vertical direction in the spaces a3, formed between the adjacent sides of the ties. (See therein the ball-boxes or ball-holders These latter (shown more clearl in Figs. 2 and 3) ln'turn each have a central clrcumferentlal groove j ..for retalnlng a serles of antifrictionballs h. End abutments f2 maintain the balls in position circumferentially,1 while at the same` time they are supportedflaterally bythe V-'shaped groove f as clearly shown. The innerorconcave side of the holder f has a central guide-stemfA passing through alug or boss b3 oi the frame b. (See Fig. 3.) Adjusting-screws n, mounted in the frame and bearing against the holders f, maintain the' latter and the balls in position with respect tothe revoluble hub-ring c, about to be .described. The said ring c surrounds the frame f and is concentric therewith. The inner face of the ring has a continuous central V- shaped groove c', adapted to form a seat for the said balls h. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) In order to provide means for readily inserting the frame b and its holders f, as in placingr or asl sembling the parts, the inner edge ofthe ring may be cut away, as mdlcated at c2, Fig. 1.

To the front and rear faces of the ring are secured by bolts p a pair of thin flat annular plates d; These plate-rings, as drawn, eX- tend outward beyond the ring c and also. in-

wardly to a point about midway of the cor- '95 time forming a guard or shield-to prevent the loo entrance into the ball-chamber Yof dust or other foreign matter.

The axle-skein a as drawn has a central hole m', adapted to receive a square-axle m,

the latter being kept in place longitudinallyA 105 by a washer and lnut in a well-known manner. l

l'As thus arranged the axle is non-revoluble.

I prefer to employ a pair of helical springss, the same being oppositely disposed and located between and bearing against the adjacent surfaces of the frame and skein, as clearly shown in 1. When the axle-skein is in the central or normal position, the springs then being in equilibrium, a material increase in Weight upon the axle will obviously operate to depress it,and compress the lower spring. In order that the upper spring may positively expand or elongate in unison with said action of the lower spring, the former may be fastened to the skein by a hook or clamp n In a vehicle-wheel provided with my improved spring-hub A the rim and tire and also the spoke portions may be constructed in any well-known or usual way. In the drawings, Fig. 1, the inner end of the spokes g (indicated by broken lines) are fitted to fill -the space between the ring-plates d, all being secured in position by through-bolts p. Filling-in blocks g may be used for closing the spaces between the s okes.

I prefer to make t e faces of the members b, c, and e flat or in alinement with one another, or, in other words, the thickness of the hub is uniform throughout. The thickness of the axle-skein may, however, exceed that of the other portions of the hub.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United States Letters Patentthe outer periphery of said frame', a ilanged.

revoluble ring located outside of and concentric with said frame member having its inner face provided with a peripheral groove or seat and arranged to be secured to the spokes of the wheel, and antifriction-balls revolubly mounted in said holder members and bearing against the said grooved portion of the revoluble ring, substantially as described.

2. In a spring-hub of the character described, the combination with a stationa circular frame, antifriction-balls adjustably mounted therein and a vertically-movable spring-pressed axle-skein also supported and ided in said fra-me, of a revoluble ring mem er c arranged outside of and concentrically with said frame having its inner or concave face provided With a circumferential groove adapted to form a seat for said balls, and side p ates d secured to and revoluble with said ring and extending toward the center of the hub to form a dust-guard and protector, substantially as described.

Signed at Providence, Rhode Island, this 18th day of' September, 1905.

WILLIAM M. LEFFORT. Witnesses:

GEO. H. REMINGTON, EMMETT AINLEY. 

